The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-03-02
Mrs. ROxalina Druse Hanged for Murder at
Herkirer, New York, Yesterday.
4 Terrible Scene on the ScafOld During tht
Preparations for Her Execution.
The Condemned Woman Fills the Air With Her
Means, Cries and ShriekS.
The Trap Sprung Precisely at I2 O'clock
Full Details of the Execution-Her
Confession Made Sunday.

HERK1MER, N. Y, Feb. 2S.-Atter the serv-
ices last evening Mrs. Druse remained no
until about IL so p. m. Deputy Sheriff
BARLEY Manion, with Mr.. and Mrs. Water
man, the death-watch, induced her to lie
down, and she had about an hours quiet
sleep. She awakened with a start, and upon
arising began to write letters as calmly as
she had at any time since her incarceration.
They were as follows:
"HERRIMER, n. Y, Feb. %, 1887.
ITO Sheriff Cook:
KIND SIR-You having given me even
more privileges than / could have expected
under the circumstances, / desire to express
my sincere thanks and gratitude for your
kindness and your family. For this, no
doubt, you will pass many pleasant hour,
besides having clear conscience that you
have been kind to me, when l am gone.
| Goodbye. Mrs. RoXALINA DRUsE."
Mrs. Druse gave the following to Sheriff
Cook:
"HERKMER, n. Y, Feb. 2S, 1887.
"KIND SIR-If it is to be my sad fate to
! die so soon l, therefore venture to make this
| request to you; That as soon as life bas gone
from my body that you will place it in
| charge of him who has been my friend to
the last. Rev. G.. w. Powell, and that he
| alone, as a minister of the Gospel, be present
| at my death and officiate at my funeral il
am permitted to have Christian burial.
Please grant me this request in your own
| handwriting. Mrs. K. DRUsE."
After writing, Mrs. Druse laid down again
and fell into doze. She was attacked with
| hysteria in a violent form, and it required
] considerable effort upon the part of the
watchers to arouse and calm her. During
the night she ate one of the heartiest meals
| that she has partaken since she was a pris-
oner. She had about two hours rest after
/ a m but did not sleep sound
One of her first visitors this morning, was
/ Superintendent Terry, of the Onondago
] Penitentiary, who brought farewell from
/ her daughter Mary, who is life prisoner,
and bouquet OF flowers. This visit had
most exciting effect upon Mrs. Druse. Her
| deathwatch, Mrs. Waterman, who had main
tanned herself admirably throughout, was
affected to tears and for some minutes all
were affected in the same manner. Rev. DIR.
Powell visited Mrs, Druse about 8 a. NJ, and
did all in his power to calm her and prepare
her for the awful moment. She ate no
breakfast, but pArtook of a stimulating med
icine prepared by the Jail physician, DR..
| Guy. Her counsel, H. ID. Wight Luce, made
his parting visit with her about 10 o'clock
| this morning, and this again upset her tenn
| porarily, but she soon rallied and appeared
/ as firm and composed as any one.
After the terrible blizzard of Sunday the
morning opened bright, with the mercury
about ten degrees above zero. Every road
leading into the town was dotted with
sleighs, crowded with fur-coated men and not
few women. Captain John Budlong and
| the Thirty-hIst separate company, National
Guard, sixty-four muskets, came down from
| Mohawk at q. m. and were quartered in
the Courthouse. The crowd in the village
increased on the arrival of every train, and
in spite of the extreme cold, men, women
! and children stood about the streets sur
rounding the Jail, satisfied to look at the Of
icials as they passed in snd out of the build
| ing to Sheriff Cooks office in the Courthouse
| on the opposite side of the street. No one is
1 permitted to pass the lines without display
ing his badge or authority as deputies. The
execution was witnessed by twenty-five per-
sons including the officials
At IL o'clock the Sheriif's Jury was
ordered into the iail-yard, while Sheriff
! Cook, Under-Sherif Rice and the deputies
and physicians proceeded to Mrs. Druse's
cell. When they reached there Mrs. Druse
sat weeping and holding Mary's bouquet in
| her hands and wearing some of her flowers
about her breast. Mrs. Waterman, her
death-watch, stood by her side, sobbing Rev.
/ DR.. Powell sat IN front of her, while her
counsel, H. Dwight Luce, Chaplain Durston
and tfo deputies and physicians stood about
the door of the cell. Sheriff Cook began
reading the death warrant and respite of
Governor Hill at 1857 a. m. Mrs. Druse's
/ pulse was eighty at IL AZ. Just before the
march to the gallows was commenced it
raised to ninety. To those who offered to
assist Mrs. Druse in arising Or. Powell said:
/ 'She will bear herself we'll, and does not
need any assistance" Sheriff Cook and I'm
! der-Sheriff Rice led the procession. followed
| by Rev. DIR. Powell, Mrs. Druse and the ply
sicians, and deputies in order.
Mrs. Druse was dressed in black cashmere,
with lace edging on the neck and sleeves.
that was loaned to her by Mrs. Cook. The
day was bright but high, sharp wind pre-
| vailed that caused the deputies and others
witnesses to suffer severely in the zero tenn
| perature. The crowd about the Courthouse
and Jail was quiet and orderly throughout.
/ At IL 40 Mrs. Druse and Dr. Powell knelt on
| the floor OF the scaffold under the rope. Mrs.
| Druse held her daughters bouquet in her
| hand and closed her eyes while DR.. Powell
| offered prayer. She was then asked il she
had anything to say. She thanked all those
who had been kind to her, and implored all
all. DR.. Powell then pressed Mrs. Druse's
hand and left the jail-yard,
carrying Mary's bouquet with him.
Deputy William Mckinley pinioned
Mrs. Druses arms, knees and feet. She
maintained her composure and was firm
her head and adjusted the rope. Deputy
Msnion, who stood at her right, then bid her
goodbye as she turned and, looking into his
eyes, smiled and pressed his hand. Deputy
Ball0u then ad usted the moose under and
back of Mrs. Druse's left ear and pulled the
cap over her face. Mrs. Druse moaned, cried,
and finally shrieked so loud that her voice
was heard in the jail and streets adjoining.
Sheriff Cook dropped his hand over his
breast, and Deputy Ballou sprung the trap.
The 2J3-pound weight dropped at 11;4S
o'clock a. M, and the woman's body was
lifted about three feet above the floor of the
gallows. There was but one conEulsion or
muscular contraction of the body, and IL
then hung quiet. The wind was bowling
fercely at this moment, with bright sky.
Mrs. Druse's death, under the judgment OF
the law, was far more easy and merciful than
was that Of her victim, her husband, in De-
cember, 1884.
Doctors Kay and guiter took observations